The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-11-27
wOMEN'S GOSSIP.
The Latest within of the Semi Literary Society

The Latest whim of the Semi Literary Society
Dame-College Alumne
Special Correspondents of the Indianapolis Journal
NEW YORK. Nov. 26-It is getting to be the
ambition of every New York woman, as it has
long been that of every Parasian dame. to have
salon.
To catch adesirable assortment oflions, to pare
their claws, to induce them to roar gently as any
sucking dove, 70 knot colored ribbons in their
tawny names and to lead them about like the
sawdust procession at Barnums on more deli
cate and rose scented scale; this is the new
ideal. and social menageries multiply.
The salon proper, that is the political salon,
does not exist in New York. Partly from the
nature of New York politics, and partly because
the woman who could hold one has not yet ap-
peared In spite of the new interest of women
in practical matters. politics, the woman
at whose house statesmen-supposing states
men abundant in New York-could rendezvous
discuss all sides of question fairly and without
heat and feel as in the old French days that
there was an open Parliament with charmingly
intelligent Speaker, whose smiles were sufficient
guerdon for their oratory; woman at whose
house politicians could be encouraged TO defend
their convictions-or abandon them, has not yet
been evolved.
The New York salons are literary, musical,
artistic or all three mixed. Politics is almost
an unknown subject to them None OF them as
yet is very extensive, though several are grow
ing. A New York salon commonly takes the
the form of a Sunday evening" and a woman
to have an attractive gathering every week must
be agreeable hostess, have plenty of tact be
above jealousy, and have more than an average
share of brains.
The gatherings that come nearest to deserv-
ing the ambitious term of salon are the
suit of lion hunting. They have grown of their
own accord almost without knowledge of the
woman who is their center. They i'm
promptu. so to speak, and the pleasantest meet
ing places of the city. Miss Mary L. Booth,
editor of Harper's Bazaar, has salon of this
Knowing in the eitv' Kate Sanborn. who has a
pretty suite of at the Windsor, is
witty and vivacious that witty and vivacious
people gather to her by instinct Nine. Demo
rest receptions are rather more of dress occa-
sions but are frequented by people who can
write, and people who speak, and people who can
Me Martha j. Lamb, of the Magazine of Amer
ickn History, is delightful hostess, people
who are fortunate enough to be her guests
know. Mrs Croly, Jenny June" and her
daughter Vida have pleasant TAT homes" where
pleasant people go. Miss Laura g. Holloway
lives in Brooklyn, and her Sunday evenings
touch wider circle of human interest than
such gatherings often do. Miss Lille Devereux
Blake. the woman suffrage writer and speaker,
is at home to people with ideas. not all OF them,
by any means, of the more radical sort. Mrs.
Frank Leslie's evenings cosmopolitan, and
include about as many varieties of people, of
the more interesting sorts. as there are in the
the world. Ella Wheeler Wilcox has not enter
tanned in New York much yet, but her even
ings expected to be informal and on
or less original plan.
The salon. as 1 said, is becoming popular, and
great many women try to hold an imitation of
one who can't. This leads to the multiplication
of mutual admiration societies. which of all
stupid ways of entertaining about the most
insufferable. 1t is for the better success of the
cotton and wool salons of this sort that new
code of etiquette for the government of lions
ought to be formulated The lion masculine
has an 1ncorvenlent way at inOpportune mo-
ments of sulking and refusing to roar in strik-
ing contrast to the behavior of the lion femi-
nine, who on average is more amiable and
ready to go through her programme of tricks.